Is it really this simple to make chicken nuggets? My goal in developing this recipe was to get you away from boxed or bagged frozen nuggets with mile-long lists of ingredients, and I can promise these crispy nuggets will not disappoint. With a short ingredient list and a five-minute prep, you’ll never know these nuggets were baked instead of fried with their crispy exterior, juicy interior, and amazing flavor!
Notes
• If your kids like honey mustard to dip, simply stir up a 2:1 ratio of mustard to raw honey for an easy, fun dipping sauce!
• This recipe doubles perfectly—just use two baking sheets. Doubling will help with having enough leftovers from dinner to put into lunchboxes—or you will be able to have a large stash for your freezer!
Five-Ingredient Fast-Prep Chicken Nuggets
(dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (55 g) gluten-free panko bread crumbs (such as Ian’s or Jeff Nathan Creations brands)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Avocado or olive oil spray, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or unbleached parchment paper.
- Put the bread crumbs and sea salt in a gallon zip-top bag and shake to combine them. In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Set the bread crumbs and egg aside.
- Lightly pat the chicken dry and cut it into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces. Transfer the chicken in the bowl with the egg and stir to combine, so that every piece of chicken is coated in egg.
- Put the coated chicken pieces into the bag of bread crumbs. Close the bag and shake it to coat the chicken in the crumbs. Place the breaded chicken nuggets on the prepared baking sheet.
- Spray the nuggets with the oil spray. Bake them for 20 minutes, until they are golden brown on top. Place the cooked nuggets on a wire rack to cool.
- Chicken nuggets will last 3 days in the refrigerator. To freeze the cooked chicken nuggets, cool them completely and freeze them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. You can put the chicken nuggets into lunchboxes frozen and they will thaw by lunchtime.
- Serve the nuggets with your kids’ favorite dipping sauce, such as ketchup, honey mustard, or ranch.
Notes
Excerpted from The Little Lunchbox Cookbook: 60 Easy Real-Food Bento Lunches for Kids on the Go by Renee Kohley. Published by Page Street Publishing Co. Photography copyright © Becky Winkler.